noun
pleonasm
Pleonasm (noun) means the use of more words than are needed to express an idea.
noun
1
The use of more words than are needed to express an idea.
"My salvation is in my Saviour who saveth me hence the redundancy and pleonasm of my asseveration."
— Anthony Burgess, A Dead Man in Deptford (1993)
2
A phrase that includes extra words whose meaning is already given elsewhere in it.
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Etymology
A learned borrowing from Late Latin pleonasmus, from Ancient Greek πλεονασμός (pleonasmós), from πλεονάζω (pleonázō, “to be superfluous”), from πλείων (pleíōn, “more”).
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of pleonasm?
"pleonasm" (noun) means the use of more words than are needed to express an idea.
What are the different meanings of pleonasm?
"pleonasm" has 2 main meanings: 1. The use of more words than are needed to express an idea; 2. A phrase that includes extra words whose meaning is already given elsewhere in it.
